Principal's Swan Song After 20 Years On His Toes
Sydney Morning Herald
Wednesday July 4, 2007
YESTERDAY was just like any other day for the Australian Ballet's principal artist, Steven Heathcote. Or so he said.
He started it with his daily yoga and meditation with his wife, Kathy, some breakfast, then into the Australian Ballet studios at Melbourne's Southbank for class with his fellow principal, senior and solo artists. He spent the afternoon in some rare down time before last night's performance, the last in the company's New Romantics season. "I figure it would be really dangerous to approach it any differently; it's business as usual," said Heathcote yesterday, "although I'm looking forward to a drink tonight." Last night was not just any closing night. At 8.30pm, the company's own Prince Charming - both on and offstage - was due to take his final bows in a leading role, before a capacity crowd at Melbourne's State Theatre. Heathcote's parents, brothers and extended family were planning to be there, as was the woman who has followed Heathcote his entire career: Dame Margaret Scott, the founder of the Australian Ballet School, who accepted the then 16-year-old Heathcote into the school. Time has taken its toll on Heathcote, 42, who says lead roles are now beyond him, but he will accept character roles with "plenty of dancing in [them]". He has been with the national company for 24 years, 20 of them as a principal artist.
© 2007 Sydney Morning Herald